Method of producing shaped bodies of reinforced synthetic resin

Abstract

Synthetic resin bodies reinforced with fiber, roving or the like can be made, in accordance with the invention, by impregnating the reinforcing material with synthetic resin and then casting a hardenable liquid around the resulting body to form a mold in situ therefor. The synthetic resin material is thus permitted to harden in the solidified mold material whereupon the mold material is removed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method of making a shaped article of reinforced synthetic-resin material, comprising the steps of: (a) impregnating a body of reinforcing material having given shape and dimensions with a hardenable synthetic resin to form an impregnated body of said shape and dimensions;   (b) completely surrounding the impregnated body with a form-defining liquid material of higher density than the synthetic-resin while the synthetic-resin impregnating said body is in a flowable state, said material being nonmiscible with the synthetic-resin;   (c) solidifying said synthetic-resin in said body while the latter is surrounded by the material of said liquid; and   (d) removing the material of said liquid from the body after the solidification of said synthetic-resin.   
     
     
       2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said body of reinforcing materal is impregnated with said hardenable synthetic-resin prior to surrounding the body with said form-defining liquid. 
     
     
       3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the body of reinforcing material is impregnated with said hardenable synthetic-resin subsequent to surrounding said body with said liquid material. 
     
     
       4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said body is surrounded by said liquid continuously and without any cracks in the surrounding material. 
     
     
       5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said liquid material is a low melting metal alloy and is solidified around said body, step (c) being carried out upon solidification of the liquid material. 
     
     
       6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said body of reinforcing material is formed on a support, said support being removed from said body prior to impregnation thereof with said hardenable synthetic-resin and the surrounding of the body with said liquid material. 
     
     
       7. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said body of reinforcing material is formed on said support and said body is impregnated on said support with said hardenable synthetic-resin. 
     
     
       8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the impregnation of said body of reinforcing material is carried out by first subjecting said body to a subatmospheric pressure and then subjecting said hardenable synthetic-resin in said body to a subatmospheric pressure. 
     
     
       9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said body of reinforcing material is surrounded with the liquid material and the liquid material is thereafter solidified leaving passages therein for supplying the impregnating synthetic-resin to said body. 
     
     
       10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said body is carried by a support and is immersed in a bath of the synthetic-resin to impregnate said body therewith in step (a), surplus synthetic-resin being displaced from said body with said liquid material. 
     
     
       11. The method defined in claim 7 wherein said support is composed of the same material as said liquid. 
     
     
       12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein said body is provided, prior to step (b) with a pore-closing coating.